Celebrating 50 Years of Hōkūleʻa: Honoring a Legacy of Vision and Aloha

On Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Kualoa Regional Park, the birthplace of Hōkūleʻa, the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) hosted a grand celebration to mark a momentous occasion—Hōkūleʻa’s 50th birthday.

The celebration was nothing short of extraordinary. It brought together voyaging ʻohana from across the pae ʻāina, throughout the Pacific, and even as far as Alaska. The morning began in reverence, as traditional protocols, hoʻokupu, oli, and ceremonies set the tone for a day rooted in ʻike kupuna, pilina, and profound gratitude.

In the afternoon, the celebration flowed into the annual Kualoa Hakipuʻu Waʻa Festival, where the public was invited to join in cultural workshops, moʻolelo sharing, mele, and hula—reminders of the deep cultural currents that Hōkūleʻa continues to awaken in us all.

ʻOhana Waʻa was proudly represented by voyaging families including Nā Kālai Waʻa Moku o Hawaiʻi, Nā Kālai Waʻa o Kauaʻi, Nā Waʻa Kaulua, PVS, Molokaʻi Voyaging ʻOhana, and Friends of Hōkūleʻa and Hawaiʻiloa. Together, we honored not only the physical canoe, but the collective knowledge, relationships, and aloha that have been cultivated over the past five decades.

This celebration was more than a birthday—it was a reflection of the powerful ripple Hōkūleʻa has made across oceans and generations. It was a day to honor the visionaries who first dared to believe in her, the thousands who have crewed and supported her journeys, and the haumāna who will carry her legacy forward.

Eō Hōkūleʻa.Mahalo for 50 years of guiding us home.